Method and apparatus for eviscerating chickens or other fowl

ABSTRACT

An evisceration system for removing the viscera from chickens or other fowl being conveyed in a head lowermost suspended state along a predetermined path. A special shackle for suspending the bird by its hocks is provided with a sterilized spoon-shaped viscera removal tool cooperative with structural guides positioned along the predetermined path of travel for being automatically extended into a precut hole in the abdomen of the bird and withdrawn therefrom. Devices are provided in the path of travel for maintaining a proper orientation of the bird to permit removal of all of the viscera by the spoon-like member.

United States Patent Harben, Jr. [451 May 23, 1972 [54] METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR 2,774,101 12/1956 Ograbisz ..17 11 EVISCERATING CHICKENSOR OTHER 2,975,469 3/1961 Viscolosi ..17 11 FOWL 3,474,492 10/1969Viscolosi ..17/45 Primary Examiner-Lucie H. LaudenslagerAttorney-Newton, Hopkins & Ormsby [5 7] ABSTRACT An evisceration systemfor removing the viscera from chickens or other fowl being conveyed in ahead lowermost suspended state along a predetermined path. A specialshackle for suspending the bird by its hocks is provided with asterilized spoon-shaped viscera removal tool cooperative with structuralguides positioned along the predetermined path of travel for beingautomatically extended into a precut hole in the abdomen of the bird andwithdrawn therefrom. Devices are provided in the path of travel formaintaining it proper orientation of the bird to permit removal of allof the viscera by the spoon-like member.

12 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 24 oim/va I Patent ecl May 23, 19723,663,991

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 PA 77/ 0F TRA VE'L INV ENTOIR Gnovsn .5. Hmzsm, JR.

BY M ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1972 3,663,991

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 PATH OF TEA VEL INVENTOR GRoym SJ/mazmde. wag, w

ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1972 3,663,991

' 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 P. a 2/ Viv/1 ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 19723,663,991

5 Sheets-Sheet 4- v F /6. 7 PATH or TRAVEL 2 I 6 mg: HARBEILJR.

ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1972 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. m mm H k M 6 M", W f

ATTORNEYS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EVISCERATING CHICKENS OR OTHER FOWLBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to theprocessing of poultry and more particularly to a method and apparatusfor automatically removing the viscera from chickens or other fowl andexposing the viscera for inspection.

In the processing of chickens or other fowl into ready-tocook form, theviscera must be removed with skill and care, to avoid contaminating thecarcass and to prevent mutilation and loss of edible parts. Moreover,under Federal laws regulating all poultry and poultry products enteringinto interstate commerce, the viscera of each bird must retain theiridentity with the bird from which they are drawn until they have beenexamined by a Federal inspector. The most common method of complyingwith this requirement is to let the viscera hang outside the bodycavity, attached to the carcass. Thus, the viscera are completely drawnand left suspended from thesame side of each bird in full view of aninspector as the bird is conveyed by an inspection station in such amanner that also makes the giblets more accessible and within easy reachof a giblet trimmer for removing giblets from a bird subsequent to theinspection thereof.

l-Ierctofore the evisceration has been performed manually by supportingthe bird with one hand and inserting the fingers of the other handthrough an incision in the abdomen thereof, thence loosely gripping and,with a gentle twisting motion, slipping the viscera out of the body. Inaddition to being a slow operation, the heart of the bird is oftenmissed with the viscera is withdrawn by hand by the method indicated.Another drawback of the hand removal of the viscera is that the flankmeat of the bird is often torn, thereby downgrading the quality of thebird. Also, whenever a diseased bird is detected by the inspector, itbecomes necessary to remove not only the diseased bird from theconveyor, but all the birds subsequently touched by the person removingthe viscera by hand which possibly may have been infected as a result ofsuch subsequent contact. A delay is thus encountered at the inspectionstation'while the birds are removed and the hands of the operator arewashed or the gloves thereof changed. This delay causes a back-up in theentire processing operation which is costly to the processor both interms of time lost and production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide an apparatus for automatically removing the viscerafrom a chicken or other fowl and exposing the viscera for inspection.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus forautomatically removing the viscera from a plurality of chickens or otherfowl being conveyed along a predetermined path and for exposing theviscera for inspection in which the disease of any one chicken or otherfowl is not communicated to another chicken or other fowl subsequentlyconveyed along the predetermined path.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus forautomatically withdrawing and exposing for inspection all the viscera ofa chicken or other fowl.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved method ofwithdrawing and exposing for inspection the viscera of chickens or otherfowl.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of removingand exposing the viscera of a plurality of chickens or other fowl insuccession wherein the communication of disease between such chickens orother fowl is averted.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of amethod of automatically removing the viscera from a chicken or otherfowl.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the use of a spoon-likeviscera removal member movably disposed on a shackle. The chicken orother fowl is suspended head lowermost from the shackle and the shackleand the bird are moved along a predetermined path by a conveyor system.Engagement of the removal member with an actuating or camming bardisposed in the predetermined path forces the removal member into anopening in the rear end of the bird and down between the viscera and thestraddle and breast of the bird. Withdrawal of the spoon-like removalmember is accomplished by relaxing the actuating force on a compressedspring associated with the shackle as the bird is slowly pivotedupwardly away from the back of the removal member such that the back ofthe bird is substantially horizontal when the removal member iscompletely withdrawn. This novel cooperation causes the lip of thespoon-like member to scrape along the inside of the back of the bird toforcefully bring the viscera with it as it is removed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various other objects and advantagesof the present invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled inthe art as the same becomes better understood from the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like reference numerals designate like or correspondingparts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a complete eviscerating systemconstructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view in perspective of the apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1 and showing the viscera removal member being inserted into thebird;

FIG. 3 is another end view in perspective, similar to FIG. 2, andshowing the bird properly oriented for receiving the viscera removaltool and illustrating the camming bar and the compression spring formoving the tool relative to the shackle and the bird;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the apparatus showing the removaltool fully inserted into the bird;

FIG. 5 is a side view in perspective showing the head of the bird beingreceived between a set of endless belts having a line therebetweenangularly oriented with respect to the path of travel of the bird on theillustrated conveyor system;

FIG. 6 is another side view in perspective showing the bird in a pivotedattitude and the viscera removal tool partially withdrawn therefrom;

FIG. 7 is an end view in perspective showing the viscera hanging fromthe bird and the removal tool fully withdrawn therefrom;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view in perspective of an eviscerating toolembodying the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a side view in perspective of the eviscerating tool shown inFIG. 8 and illustrating in dotted lines the position of the visceraremoval spoon relative to the shackle when in its fully extendedposition; and,

FIG. 10 is another perspective showing the bird supported by a shacklewith the viscera suspended therefrom and the eviscerating tool fullywithdrawn.

DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, thereis shown an overall evisce rating system comprising a conveyor deviceindicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and including alongitudinally disposed channel or rail 11 defining a predetermined pathof movement for a chicken or other fowl being conveyed thereby andhaving a plurality of wheels or rollers 12 movably positioned thereon,each of which is connected with a chicken or other fowl-bearing shacklemember 13 by a chain 14 or the like for moving the shackle along thepredetermined path of travel. A moving endless belt 15 is providedbeneath the channel l l for orienting the bird in a substantiallyvertical position during initial insertion of a sterilized visceraremoval tool 16 disposed on the shackle 13, and a pair of moving endlessbelts 17 having portions thereof disposed in slightly spaced, parallelrelationship with respect to one another are provided further along thepredetermined path of travel for gripping the head portion of the birdand pivoting the bird upwardly away from the back of the removal tool 16until the bird is substantially horizontally disposed during withdrawalof the removal tool 16.

Turning now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 for a more detailed description of theoperative scheme of the present invention, a chicken or other fowl 18 isinitially suspended by the hocks thereof from the shackle member 13 andis conveyed in a head lowermost position along the predetermined path oftravel to a point where is engages the endless belt 15 driven aboutthree sprocketed wheels 19 by a suitable motor, not shown, connectedwith one of the wheels 19 by a power shaft 20. The hocks of the bird 18are gripped within a pair of U-shaped, spring-like, clamping members 21depending from a lower end of rod extensions 22 which are pivotallyconnected at the other ends thereof to the shackle member 13 by abracket 23. Pivotal movement of the rods 22 transversely of the path oftravel is limited in one direction by a horizontal bar 24 disposedadjacent thereto in substantial alignment with the path of travel. Withthe breast of the bird 18 resting against the moving belt 15, transversemovement of the bird l8 and the rods 22 are altogether restricted, suchthat the bird 18 is substantially secured in a vertical position forreceiving the viscera removal tool 16 in an opening precut in the rearend of the bird.

An inverted cup-shaped member 25 is movably disposed in a vertical lineon the shackle member 13 and is biased upwardly by a coil spring 26against a pair of parallel guide bars 27. The guide bars 27 arepositioned in the predetermined path of movement of the shackle member13 and, as may be best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, follow a course therealongin which they are disposed beneath and inclined away from the channel orrail 11 of the conveyor system 10, then level off for a given distanceto follow a path parallel to the channel 11, are subsequently upwardlyinclined toward the channel 11, and finally exit from the evisceratingarea in a path paralleling that ofthe channel 11.

When the shackle member 13 is conveyed along the channel 11 directlyabove that portion of the guide bars 27 which is downwardly inclinedtherefrom, the inverted cup-shaped member 25 is forceably camrneddownwardly on the shackle member 13 by the parallel guide bars 27 as itis moved therealong, thereby compressing the coil spring 26 andextending the viscera removal tool 16 secured to the inverted cup-likemember 25 deeply into the bird 18 between the viscera and the straddleand breast of the bird. In FIG. 4, the viscera removal tool 16 is shownfully extended into the bird 18 and it may be observed that the belt 15now follows an angularly deviated path whereby pivoting of the bird 18is initiated, slowly tilting the body of the bird 18 toward asubstantially horizontal position wherein the breast portion thereof isdisposed uppermost.

Leaving the belt 15, the bird 18 is conveyed to the area of the belts 17driven about sprocketed wheels 28, generally four in number for eachbelt 17, by a suitable drive, not shown, wherein the head portion of thebird 18 is engaged between the portion of the belts 17 following aparallel path and moving in the same direction as best seen in FIGS. and6. This parallel path is angularly disposed with relation to the channel11 defining the path of travel of the shackle member 13 such that thebird is fully pivoted in the manner described and simultaneously ispulled away from the shackle 13. Transverse movement of the shackle 13in general as the bird 18 is pulled away therefrom is prevented by apair of horizontally disposed, parallel bars 30 located directly beneaththe guide bars 27 and between which a pair of arms 31 integrally formedon the shackle 13 are received. Pivotal movement of the rod extensions22 in the bracket 23 is freely permitted, however, since the bracket 23of the shackle 13 is positioned on the shackle 13 at a point lyingbeneath the parallel bars 30. Thus, as the shackle 13 traverses thatportion of its path of travel along the channel 11 directly above theupwardly inclined section of the parallel guide bars 27, the coil spring26 gradually returns the inverted cup-shaped member 25 to its initialposition, retracting with it the removal tool 16 attached thereto. Asthe removal tool 16 is slowly withdrawn from the horizontally disposedbird 18, a spoon-like portion of the removal tool is dragged along theinside of the back of the bird to force the viscera 29 slowly rearwardlyand out through the precut opening in the rear end thereof. The bird 18is then carried away from the eviscerating area and from the belts 17 sothat its head is no longer gripped therebetween, and it is conveyed bythe system 10, suspended from the shackle 13 in a head lowermostposition, with the viscera hanging over its back fully exposed to aninspector for a quick visual inspection thereof.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 for a more detailed description ofthe eviscerating tool utilized in the illustrated embodiment of thepresent invention, the closed end of an elongated and inverted U-shapedelement 32 is used to afiix the shackle 13 to a roller 12 of theconveyor 10 by a line 33 secured therebetween. The arms of the element32 pass through openings in the inverted cup-shaped member 25 andterminate at the ends thereof in the upper surface of the bracket 23.The bracket 23 is provided with an aperture for receiving an elongatearm 35, the threaded upper end of which extends through a centralopening in the cup-shaped member 25 to be secured thereto by a bolt 36.Disposed between the inverted cup-shaped member 25 and the bracket 23and circumventing the arms of the U-shaped element 32 and the elongatearm 35 is the compression or coil spring 26.

At the other end of the elongate arm 35 there is securely attached insomewhat angularly disposed relationship therewith, the substantiallyspoon-shaped viscera removal tool 16. In the normal, generallyuncompressed state of the spring 26, the removal tool 16 is positioned,as shown in FIG. 8, between the U-shaped, hock-clamping portions 21which may be integrally formed with the rod extensions 22 of the shackle13. Further upward movement of the arm 35 may be limited by a stopsecured thereon and engageable with the bracket 23. The ends of the rodextensions 22 are curved inwardly and may be threaded for being receivedin openings in the depending arms of the bracket 23 and secured thereinby bolts or the like. When so connected, the rod extensions 22 andhock-clamping portions 21 thereof are pivotable within the bracket 23such that a chicken or other fowl held therein may be movablydisplacedrelative to the removal tool 16 in an are perpendicular to the open faceor the back of the spoon-configured tool.

The substantially rod-like arms 31, shown herein formed into a squareconfiguration, are secured to the bracket 23 by welding or othersuitable attachment means and serve, as previously indicated, to preventlateral displacement of the shackle 13 when the shackle is disposedbetween the parallel bars 30 in the viscera removal tool extraction areaof the disclosed system.

Thus, by camming of the inverted cup-shaped member 25 as the shackle 13traverses the downwardly inclined guides 27, supported above such guides27 by the base of the U-shaped element 32 and having the cup member 25disposed therebeneath, the cup member 25 and the attached elongate arm35 are moved downwardly against the loading of the spring 26 to therebyextend the removal tool 16. The orientation of the chicken or other fowlat this stage is such that the back of the spoon-configured tool 16moves along the breast bone of the bird 18 with the open face of thespoon 16 facing inwardly of the cavity therein. Similarly, traversal ofthe upwardly inclined portion of the guide bars 27 by thebird-supporting shackle 13, thereby permitting the tool 16 to bewithdrawn from the bird 18 under the expansion of the spring 26 againstthe inverted cup 25 and the elongate arm 35 attached thereto, isaccomplished by the slow pivoting of the bird 18 on its back and gentlepulling away from the shackle 13, such that during removal of the tool16, the open face of the spoon thereof, aided by its angulardisplacement with relation to the line of withdrawal, is dragged againstthe back of the bird 18. In this manner, the elongated spoon-configuredtool 16 gathers and pulls with it the heart, liver, lungs, gizzard,

and intestines comprising the viscera of the chicken or other fowl, asit is automatically withdrawn therefrom. Obviously, in the interest ofpreventing the spread of any disease, it is intended that the tool besterilized before it is reused.

Briefly stated in summary, according to the present invention, a methodand an apparatus for performing such method are provided forautomatically withdrawing the viscera from chickens or other fowl andexposing such viscera still intact with the chicken or other fowl forvisual inspection thereof.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. Apparatus for removing the viscera from chickens or other fowl andexposing the viscera for inspection, comprising means for conveying achicken or other fowl suspended head lowermost along a predeterminedpath;

a viscera removal tool associated with said conveying means;

means for automatically inserting said tool into the abdomen of saidchicken or other fowl at a predetermined point in said path;

means for automatically pivoting said chicken or other fowl upward andaway from said tool; and,

means for withdrawing said tool from said chicken or other fowl whilesaid chicken or other fowl is pivoted by said pivoting means.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conveying meanscomprises a shackle for supporting said chicken or other fowl in a headlowermost condition; and

said tool is movably disposed on said shackle.

3. A device for supporting a chicken or other fowl in a head lowermostposition and for removing the viscera therefrom, comprising:

an elongate vertically disposed element;

an upper end member movably disposed in a vertical line on said elongateelement;

a lower fixed end member on said element;

resilient means disposed between said upper and lower end membersnormally maintaining said movable end member in an elevated position onsaid elongate element;

a spoon-shaped viscera removal tool;

an elongate arm fixed at one end to said movable end member and at theother end to said tool; and,

means pivotally mounted on said lower end member for securably receivingthe hocks ofa chicken or other fowl.

4. A method of eviscerating a chicken or other fowl comprising:'

transporting said chicken or other fowl along a predetermined pathsuspended in a head lowermost position; inserting a viscera removal toolinto said chicken or other fowl between the viscera and the breast bonethereof; pivoting said chicken or other fowl upwardly and away from theside of the removal tool adjacent said breast bone; and,

withdrawing said tool by dragging it against the back of said chicken orother fowl while so pivoted.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said inserting, pivoting andwithdrawing steps are automatically performed responsive totransportation of said chicken or other fowl past tation. 7. Apparatusfor removing the viscera from chickens or other fowl comprising: meansfor conveying a chicken or other fowl suspended head lowermost along apredetermined path; a viscera removal tool associated with saidconveying means; means for automatically inserting said tool into theabdomen of said chicken or other fowl at a predetermined point in saidpath; means for automatically pivoting said chicken or other fowl upwardand away from said tool; and, means for withdrawing said tool from saidchicken or other fowl while said chicken or other fowl is pivoted bysaid pivoting means; said conveying means including a shackle forsupporting said chicken or other fowl in a head lowermost condition andhaving an elongate uprightly disposed element, said tool being movablydisposed for movement up and down said elongate element; a lower fixedend member on said element; resilient means disposed between said upperand lower end members normally maintaining said movable end member in anelevated position on said elongate element; and an elongate arm fixed atone end to said upper end member and at the other end to said tool;whereby movement of the upper end member in opposition to said resilientmeans extends said elongate arm and said tool attached thereto downwardrelative to said elongate element and said fixed end member.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said resilient means is aspring.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said automatic 'toolinsertion means comprises means disposed in said path of travel of saidshackle for contacting said upper member as said shackle approaches saidpredetermined point and compressing said spring to thereby extend saidtool.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a pair ofelongate bars aligned with said path and disposed such that said upperend member of said shackle is positioned therebeneath and biased againstsaid bars by said spring, said bars being inclined downwardly of thepath of travel of said shackle in one part of the path for causingcompression of said spring as said shackle traverses said path forinserting said tool into said chicken or other fowl; and, said barsbeing inclined upwardly relative to the path of travel of said shacklein another part of said path for permitting expansion of said spring assaid shackle traverses said other part of said path for withdrawing saidtool from said chicken or other fowl.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said shackle furthercomprises means pivotally secured to said lower fixed end member forsecurably receiving the neck of a chicken or other fowl.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 further comprising movable meansdisposed beneath said path of travel of said shackle and angularlydisplaced relative thereto for gripping the head portion of said chickenor other fowl during the traverse of said path by said shackle and saidchicken or other fowl suspended therefrom.

1. Apparatus for removing the viscera from chickens or other fowl andexposing the viscera for inspection, comprising means for conveying achicken or other fowl suspended head lowermost along a predeterminedpath; a viscera removal tool associated with said conveying means; meansfor automatically inserting said tool into the abdomen of said chickenor other fowl at a predetermined point in said path; means forautomatically pivoting said chicken or other fowl upward and away fromsaid tool; and, means for withdrawing said tool from said chicken orother fowl while said chicken or other fowl is pivoted by said pivotingmeans.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conveyingmeans comprises a shackle for supporting said chicken or other fowl in ahead lowermost condition; and, said tool is movably disposed on saidshackle.
 3. A device for supporting a chicken or other fowl in a headlowermost position and for removing the viscera therefrom, comprising:an elongate vertically disposed element; an upper end member movablydisposed in a vertical line on said elongate element; a lower fixed endmember on said element; resilient means disposed between said upper andlower end members normally maintaining said movable end member in anelevated position on said elongate element; a spoon-shaped visceraremoval tool; an elongate arm fixed at one end to said movable endmember and at the other end to said tooL; and, means pivotally mountedon said lower end member for securably receiving the hocks of a chickenor other fowl.
 4. A method of eviscerating a chicken or other fowlcomprising: transporting said chicken or other fowl along apredetermined path suspended in a head lowermost position; inserting aviscera removal tool into said chicken or other fowl between the visceraand the breast bone thereof; pivoting said chicken or other fowlupwardly and away from the side of the removal tool adjacent said breastbone; and, withdrawing said tool by dragging it against the back of saidchicken or other fowl while so pivoted.
 5. A method according to claim4, wherein said inserting, pivoting and withdrawing steps areautomatically performed responsive to transportation of said chicken orother fowl past predetermined points in said path.
 6. A method accordingto claim 4, wherein said tool is moved in a straight line duringinsertion thereof into said chicken or other fowl; and, said tool ismoved in a straight line parallel to said first straight line duringwithdrawal thereof from said chicken or other fowl; said insertion,pivotal, and withdrawing steps being actuated in response to movement ofsaid chicken or other fowl past given points in said predetermined pathof transportation.
 7. Apparatus for removing the viscera from chickensor other fowl comprising: means for conveying a chicken or other fowlsuspended head lowermost along a predetermined path; a viscera removaltool associated with said conveying means; means for automaticallyinserting said tool into the abdomen of said chicken or other fowl at apredetermined point in said path; means for automatically pivoting saidchicken or other fowl upward and away from said tool; and, means forwithdrawing said tool from said chicken or other fowl while said chickenor other fowl is pivoted by said pivoting means; said conveying meansincluding a shackle for supporting said chicken or other fowl in a headlowermost condition and having an elongate uprightly disposed element,said tool being movably disposed for movement up and down said elongateelement; a lower fixed end member on said element; resilient meansdisposed between said upper and lower end members normally maintainingsaid movable end member in an elevated position on said elongateelement; and an elongate arm fixed at one end to said upper end memberand at the other end to said tool; whereby movement of the upper endmember in opposition to said resilient means extends said elongate armand said tool attached thereto downward relative to said elongateelement and said fixed end member.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7wherein said resilient means is a spring.
 9. Apparatus as set forth inclaim 8 wherein said automatic tool insertion means comprises meansdisposed in said path of travel of said shackle for contacting saidupper member as said shackle approaches said predetermined point andcompressing said spring to thereby extend said tool.
 10. Apparatus asset forth in claim 8, further comprising a pair of elongate bars alignedwith said path and disposed such that said upper end member of saidshackle is positioned therebeneath and biased against said bars by saidspring, said bars being inclined downwardly of the path of travel ofsaid shackle in one part of the path for causing compression of saidspring as said shackle traverses said path for inserting said tool intosaid chicken or other fowl; and, said bars being inclined upwardlyrelative to the path of travel of said shackle in another part of saidpath for permitting expansion of said spring as said shackle traversessaid other part of said path for withdrawing said tool from said chickenor other fowl.
 11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein saidshackle further comprises means pivotally secured to said lower fixedend member for securably receiving the neck of a chicken or other fowl.12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 Further comprising movable meansdisposed beneath said path of travel of said shackle and angularlydisplaced relative thereto for gripping the head portion of said chickenor other fowl during the traverse of said path by said shackle and saidchicken or other fowl suspended therefrom.